Synopses & Reviews
A truly extraordinary book The range of knowledge revealed by the author is quite astonishing and the material presented is done so in a clear and unambiguous writing style. The book includes astonishingly varied perspectives on issues that will impact the hoped-for positive consequences of globalization. I felt I was being informed by an expert who grasps the complexity of the issues involved in ways that make them clear and useful. If I was teaching a course that had anything to do with globalization and/or culture, I would assign this book-and if I knew of someone who was being assigned to another country, I would require him or her to read this book. -Benjamin Schneider, Valtera Corporation and Professor Emeritus, University of Maryland
What is a paradox? Why are cross-cultural paradoxes essential for understanding the changes that are occurring because of globalization? Encompassing a wide variety of areas including leadership, cross-cultural negotiations, immigration, religion, economic development, and business strategy, Paradoxes of Culture and Globalization developscross-cultural paradoxes essential for understanding globalization.
Key FeaturesHighlightsover 90paradoxes structured in a question/discussion format to actively engage readers and provide an integrative overview of the bookPresents key issues at a higher and integrative level of analysis to avoid stereotyping particular culturesFacilitates class discussions and the active involvement of class members in the learning process of culture and globalization.Enlarges individuals conceptual understanding of cross-cultural issues Focuses on both traditional and controversial topics including motivation and leadership across cultures, communicating and negotiating across cultures, immigration, religion, geography, economic development, business strategy, and international human resource management
Intended Audience
This is an excellent text for advanced undergraduate and graduate courses in International Management, International Business, Comparative Management, World Business Environment, Cross-Cultural Management, Cross-Cultural Communications, and Cultural Anthropology in the departments of businessand management, communication, and anthropology.
Meet author Martin J. Gannon www.csusm.edu/mgannon
Martin J. Gannon is also the author of the bestselling text Understanding Global Cultures (SAGE, Third Edition, 2004) and Cultural Metaphors: Readings, Research Translations, and Commentary (SAGE, 2000).
Synopsis
This book centers around two major questions, which provide the underlying rationale for the book: What is a paradox, and why are cross-cultural paradoxes essential for understanding the changes that are occurring because of globalization? Unlike many books on globalization, which begin with a proposition or a few propositions that the author then attempts to explain and defend in detail, there are no propositions being defended in the book. Rather, the emphasis is on understanding the changes that are occurring as a result of globalization through the use of 93 cross-cultural paradoxes. As the innovative Table of Contents indicates, I use the traditional textbook approach for Parts and Chapters and discuss the paradoxes within these chapters. The consensus definition of paradox is used in this book, that is, a statement incorporating inconsistent and sometimes contradictory elements that appears to be untrue but is in fact true. For example, how can time be considered as three circles (past, present, and future) as well as only one circle? Ordinarily the explanation of each paradox requires the use of another factor or variable. In this book that variable is frequently cross-cultural in nature, as the title of the book indicates. Each of the 92 paradoxes is structured in a question/discussion format (see Table of Contents). Each question is designed to engage the reader and suggests the paradox to be discussed within the appropriate chapter. Part 1, Conceptual Foundations, emphasizes thinking paradoxically (Ch. 1) and conceptualizing and perceiving culture (Ch. 2). Part 2, Behavioral Processes, highlights traditional topics within Organizational Behavior in chapters on leadership, motivation, and group behavior across cultures; communicating across cultures; crossing cultures; and cross-cultural negotiations. Part 3, The Broader Context, includes chapters on multi-ethnicity, religion, geography, and immigration; economic development and culture; globalization and culture; and business strategy, business functions, and International Human Resource Management.Meet author Martin Gannon www.csusm.edu/mgannon
Synopsis
What is a paradox? Why are cross-cultural paradoxes essential for understanding the changes that are occurring because of globalization? Encompassing a wide variety of areas including leadership, cross-cultural negotiations, immigration, religion, economic development, and business strategy, Paradoxes of Culture and Globalization develops cross-cultural paradoxes essential for understanding globalization.